


Understanding The Problem

by eating_custardinbed



Series: The Internet Made Me Write It [3]
Category: IT Crowd
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Angst, Full Angst, High School, Homophobia, M/M, One Shot, Parents, People are Dicks, Teen AU, Teen Romance, Teenage Drama, Teenagers, Unaccepting Parents, actually just unaccepting adults, all angst, angsty, request, request from tumblr, somewhat long one shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:48:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27415999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eating_custardinbed/pseuds/eating_custardinbed
Summary: “I don’t think we’re the problem. I think the problem is they don’t understand.”
Relationships: Maurice Moss/Roy Trenneman
Series: The Internet Made Me Write It [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1990789
Kudos: 13





	Understanding The Problem

“Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is made from five layers of different needs for us as humans. Whilst it starts off fairly simply, to progress to true self-actualisation— don’t worry, we’ll go over this later— we need respect and acceptance from others.”

Yawn. When was this lesson over? 

Roy suppressed a groan, leaning back in his chair. Why had he even chosen psychology anyway? It wasn’t like he was particularly interested in the subject, and to make things just a million times worst he was the only lad in the class. Not that he had a problem with the girls, but he found it easier to get on with the lads. 

“Roy, pay attention,” Jen hissed at him. She was his only friend in this class (and one of his few friends in other lessons) and she often spent this lesson doing her nails or playing on her phone, relying on Roy to take the notes so she could frantically copy them up the night before the next lesson they had. 

“That’s rich coming from you,” he murmured back. She stuck her tongue out at before going back to painting her nails under the desk. Roy sighed, slouching in his chair again. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled his phone out. It was unlikely, but maybe Moss would have his phone on? He was in Geography, and whilst phones weren’t technically allowed out he knew that Mr Rowman relied very heavily on Kahoots to teach his classes. He sent him a quick text, asking him if he was okay and whatnot, remembering to put kisses on the end of the message at the last minute. 

Well, they had only been going out for two weeks. He was bound to forget sometimes.

That’s correct, you read it right. Going out. It was as much a shock to Roy than to anyone else, but it was happening. There was just something about them... Roy knew that he had to give it a go. They hadn’t told anyone yet, though. Neither of them were exactly out, and so they thought it best to just have what they were call an Alpha Test period. They could see for themselves if this was working, and then if it was they could tell a few people (probably their families) and move into the Beta Test period. But right now it was--

"Roy Trenneman, is that a phone I see?" 

Shit. 

"Um, no miss," he said, quickly clicking his phone off and slipping it into his pocket. Shit. Just as Moss had texted him back! 

"No, hand it over," the teacher said. She stalked over, holding her hand out. Roy sighed, throwing his head back. Not wanting a detention, or worst of all isolation, he reached for his phone and handed it to her. Gleefully she held it up. Double shit. It was still on. He thought he'd turned it off! "You know the rules, Roy." 

"No, miss, please," Roy begged. She chuckled, shaking her head at him. She rounded the phone to look at it. 

"Talking to Moss, are we?" she said. Roy could feel his cheeks burning. Jen was paying attention now, watching him carefully. He looked down at his desk. The whole class was giggling. " _'Hey, was wondering what you're up to, missing you ba'_ \--" 

At this moment the teacher trailed off. Roy did his best not to look up. The laughter was starting to taper off too. As Roy looked up, he saw the look of disgust on the teacher's face. She shoved his phone back at him. "Go straight to Mr Reynholm's office," she said. "Take your things with you." 

Roy nodded. As he began to stand up, Jen caught his arm. 

"Roy, what the hell's going on?" she whispered. He shook his head. 

"I'll explain later," he replied quietly. 

When he got to the headteacher's office, Moss was already there waiting outside. That was surprising. He hadn't seen him walk up. 

"You too?" Moss said to Roy as he approached. Roy nodded, heart hammering. "I wonder what--"

"Miss saw our messages," Roy blurted. Moss stopped dead, eyes widening. 

"What?" he said. Roy nodded. 

"She took my phone and I thought it was locked but it wasn't and she saw." 

"Well..." Roy could tell that Moss was panicking from the way he was clutching at the straps of his backpack. "Teenagers get into relationships! I don't see why she'd send us to Mr Reynholm for that!" 

"Yeah," Roy replied. There wasn't much conviction in it. He leaned against the wall, letting out a long sigh as he stared up at the ceiling. Moss made a small nervous noise, standing up straight.

They waited for nearly five minutes before Mr Reynholm's voice came from his office, telling them to enter. They glanced at each other. Moss nodded and Roy did the same back before they walked into the office. The headteacher looked a little furious, staring at them with cold eyes as they came in and sat down. They both stared down at their feet. 

"Your parents have both been contacted," was the first thing he said. "We do _not_ stand for that kind of behaviour at this school." 

"But sir--" Roy started to say. 

"Did I ask for your opinion on this?" 

Roy shook his head, pursing his lips together. Moss on the other side of him made a small squeaking noise.

Moss' mum was the first to arrive ten minutes later. She looked very confused, looking at her son with worry as she came into the room. Mr Reynholm gestured for her to sit next to her son. About fifteen minutes after this Roy's parents arrived, looking frazzled. They glared at their son before sitting down next to him. 

"I wish I did not have to call this meeting," Mr Reynholm said once everyone was settled. He leaned forward, clasping his hands on top of the desk. "But unfortunately I do." 

"What's happened?" Moss' mum asked anxiously. "Is my son in trouble?" 

"Roy here was on his phone during his lessons," Mr Reynholm said, carrying on as if nothing had been said. "And Miss Martin discovered some... interesting text messages between the two of them." 

He turned Roy's phone (which he had taken the moment Roy had walked in) towards them. The parents all leaned forward to look at it. 

The first to look at their child was Roy's parents. His mum's face was utterly slack, whilst his father looked furious. A moment later Moss' mum did something similar with her own son. She looked shocked. There was silence for far too long. 

"Hey, I've been meaning to tell you something..." Roy said awkwardly. 

"We're having words when we get home," his dad hissed. He turned back to Mr Reynholm. "I'm so sorry this has happened. Let me assure you that Roy will be punished." 

"What's the problem with it?" Roy exclaimed. "We're just datin'. It's not like we're shagging each other round the back of the school!" 

"You shut your mouth right now young man," his dad snapped back. Roy, accepting his fate, did so. Moss' mum hadn't said anything, and neither had Moss. Grabbing his son's blazer, Roy's father dragged him upright, pulling him over to the door. "Rest assured, Mr Reynholm, this _will_ be stamped out of him." 

With that, they left, Roy's mum trailing along behind them. 

***

Moss was awoken at two a.m by a knocking on his window. 

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he reached across for his glasses before staggering up out of bed. Ever since they'd got home, his mother had locked him in his room and told him he wasn't coming out until "he came to his senses". His phone, too, was stuck downstairs. He'd resolved a long time ago to just going to sleep. 

But now he was awake, and he didn't know why. 

As he made his way over to the window he put his glasses on. Raising the blinds, he squinted out. Hanging onto the drainpipe, looking more than a little desperate, was Roy. 

"Roy!" Moss exclaimed quietly as he opened the window. Roy quickly clambered in. His shoulders were heaving. "What the hell are you doing? You can't be here!" 

"I know, I just..." Roy smiled at him. He came forward, taking Moss' cheeks in his hands and kissing him softly. Moss made a small squeaking noise, melting into it. After a moment, Roy pulled away. "I'm running away. Leaving for Bristol as early as I can." 

"Bristol, what, why?" Moss asked. 

"My sister," Roy replied. "She lives there. Managed to sneak out whilst my parents were occupied, called her from a payphone and told her what was happening. She says she'll take me in without telling mum and dad." 

"But that means--" 

Moss couldn't go on. He closed his eyes, looking away. 

"I know," Roy said.

"I didn't expect this," Moss said. He opened his eyes. "I didn't think we'd be a problem." 

“I don’t think we’re the problem. I think the problem is they don’t understand.”

Moss smiled a little. He nodded. 

"I really really really like you," he whispered. 

"I like you too," Roy replied. He grinned, and then smiled sadly. "But I can't stay. They're threatening bad stuff, Moss. I need to get out." 

"Call me when you get to Bristol?" 

"Of course." 

They shared one last kiss. Roy climbed back out of the window. He cast one look back at Moss, who smiled at him and raised a hand to him. 

He climbed out of the window, and as Moss watched him go he couldn't help but feel a deep sadness growing in his stomach at the thought that he may not see him again. 


End file.
